Studies of Glacier Change during Quaternary Period in Tibet by using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques
Sh1 Changan, Liu Jiyuan
Institute of Remote Sensing Application, CAS
Beijing 1000101 P.R. China
Tibet plateau was bulged with strong plate tectonics in Quaternary period, and put lots of towering mountains beyond snow line. Therefore, it developed a large areas of glacier. Since then glacier has begun formed. Its change has been having a close relationship with environment changes analyzed from geological time scale have a possible relationship with Tibetan geological structure and climate change with is still very active now: From decade scale, however, it reflects the change of ecological environment of human being. For this reason, it has an important significance to understand and predict the glacier change.
“ Three Rivers” region located in central Tibet consisting of Lhasa River, Nian Chu River basin and the middle reaches of the yalu tsangpo River. Although its areas only occupies 5.8% of the whole Tibet territory, it has been playing an very important role in the social and economic development of Tibet. Therefore, it is very important to deeply study environment background change of the region for its further agriculture development and economic construction. Based on above consideration, we chose Karila glacier as a test site which is located in central parts of Three Rivers . Through studying its dynamic changes under the support of modern GIS and remote sensing technique, finally access a thorough understanding for the region’s environment background.
Glaciologists have early paid attention to galcier change during Quaternary period. Shi Yafeng et al. in 1980, Zheng Bengxing et al. in 1965, Zhang Xiangshang et al. in 1975, who had successfully done a plenty of research work on glacier dynamic changes in Mt. Qi Lian, Mt. Tian and Mt. Himalaya region, have provided lots of scientific evidences for studying time and space law of galcier change in China. Their data sources mainly come from : (1) field surveying and mapping and calculating from the relics of former glacier ; (2) aerial surveying topographic map ; (3) comparative analysis of aerial photography and early satellite image. Those data obtained by the methods mentioned above have some limitations for quantitative analysis.
Since 1980s satellite remote sensing has been developed rapidly and
has a periodical and commercial services. Undoubtedly, new generation Landsat TM data with high resolution under the support of GIS technique, have provided a powerful tool for studying glacier change.
